IOC releases revised Tokyo 2020 qualification principles

New Delhi: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has released revised Tokyo 2020 qualification principles according to which allocated quotas remain valid and International Federations (IFs) could extend the age eligibility criteria for the postponed Tokyo Olympic Games.

According to the revised rules, the new qualification
period deadline is June 29, 2021, and the final entries deadline is July 5,
2021. IFs could now redesign their own qualification processes that have been
impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Athletes and NOCs that have already obtained an Olympic
qualification quota place will retain this despite the postponement of the
Games. In all, 57 per cent of the total athlete quota places have already been
allocated so far, with approximately 5,000 athlete quota places still to be
assigned.

“This principle encourages IFs to follow a like-for-like
approach by replacing those lost opportunities for allocating quotas with the
same number of events,” IOC said.

“A sport-specific balance needs to be found between
protecting those athletes who were close to qualifying based on the previous
2020 deadlines and also ensuring the participation of the best athletes at the
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 by allowing the top performers of the 2021 season to
qualify,” suggested the world body.

Regarding the age limit concerns raised by the
postponement, the IOC said the principle gives IFs the rights to extend the
upper limit for those who meet the requirement in 2020 but not in 2021 and to
review the eligibility for those who do not qualify for the 2020 Games due to
lower limit

restrictions.

The only exception will be if the IF establishes that the
one-year relaxation of the upper age limit represents a safety and/or medical
risk for athletes.

“Athlete health is the guiding principle in the
scheduling of any remaining Olympic qualification events. With the postponement
of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 until 2021, the IOC has urged that any such
events be confirmed only once the COVID-19 impacts can be assessed, allowing
fair access and appropriate preparation for all competing athletes and teams,”
stated the IOC.

The IOC and Tokyo 2020 had announced the Olympics would
run from July 23 to August 8 next year with the Paralympics following from
August 24 to September 5.